Right on Time by Gretchen Wilson

It’s been three years since we’ve had a new album from Gretchen Wilson, and those three years have been very good to her.

And while no one would ever accuse the original “Redneck Woman” of being anything less than confident, her newest release, Right on Time, definitely showcases an artist more comfortable in her skin and confident in her musical choices.

With tracks that swing from the tongue-in-cheek “Grandma” to the Eagles-esque new single, “Still Rollin’,” to the jazzy “Birds of a Feather,” straight to the saturated-in-R&B goodness of “I’ve Been in Love,” Gretchen gives listeners a bigger-picture view of her vast influences and what she’s always been capable of but never had the chance to do. Whether that was because of record-label politics or her own choices is debatable, but forgivable considering the project her fans now have on hand.

It’s noteworthy that Gretchen, an accomplished songwriter, only has writing credits on one track (“Still Rollin’”). In a city like Nashville where songwriters are stacked on top of each other like Pringles in a can, though, that only reveals an ear for a great song and incredible lack of ego.